The Tree: From the Sublime to the Social

February 2 to April 20, 2008

Ed PienIn awe of Her power, 2006
ink on Shoji paper
Photo courtesy of the artist

The tree occupies a central role in many cultures and is deeply connected to personal and collective memory. It is especially meaningful in this country where
the single tree has been a symbol of the solitary individual in nature and historically
significant in the vocabulary of nation-building. In the early 20th century, the Group
of Seven produced images of trees that articulated ideas of Canadian nationhood as
bold breaks with British tradition. More recently, artists have referenced the tree in
order to make visible the forces that shape today’s interpretations of the landscape.

The exhibition begins with images of the forest as a subject that inspires awe and
instills reverence for the power of nature. This association with the spiritual and
sublime is inherent in the historical work of Emily Carr and is further investigated by
contemporary artists such as Ed Pien and Kevin Schmidt.